The Book of Household Management Part 50

411. INGREDIENTS.--2 slices of lean ham, 1 lb. of veal, 1-1/2 pint of white stock, No. 107; 2 or 3 sprigs of parsley, 1/2 a bay-leaf, 2 or 3 sprigs of savoury herbs, 6 green onions, 3 shalots, 2 cloves, 1 blade of mace, 2 gla.s.ses of sherry or Madeira, thickening of b.u.t.ter and flour.

_Mode_.--Cut up the ham and veal into small square pieces, and put them into a stewpan. Moisten these with 1/2 pint of the stock No. 107, and simmer till the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a nicely-coloured glaze, when put in a few more spoonfuls to detach it. Add the remainder of the stock, with the spices, herbs, shalots, and onions, and simmer very gently for 1 hour. Strain and skim off every particle of fat, and when required for use, thicken with b.u.t.ter and flour, or with a little roux. Add the wine, and, if necessary, a seasoning of cayenne; when it will be ready to serve.

_Time_.--1-1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, 2s. per pint.

_Note_.--The wine in this sauce may be omitted, and an onion sliced and fried of a nice brown subst.i.tuted for it. This sauce or gravy is used for many dishes, and with most people is a general favourite.

FENNEL SAUCE FOR MACKEREL.

412. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of melted b.u.t.ter, No. 376, rather more than 1 tablespoonful of chopped fennel.

_Mode_.--Make the melted b.u.t.ter very smoothly, by recipe No. 376; chop the fennel rather small, carefully cleansing it from any grit or dirt, and put it to the b.u.t.ter when this is on the point of boiling. Simmer for a minute or two, and serve in a tureen.

_Time_.--2 minutes.

_Average cost_, 4d.

_Sufficient_ to serve with 5 or 6 mackerel.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FENNEL.]

FENNEL.--This elegantly-growing plant, of which the Latin name is _Anethum foeniculum_, grows best in chalky soils, where, indeed, it is often found wild. It is very generally cultivated in gardens, and has much improved on its original form. Various dishes are frequently ornamented and garnished with its graceful leaves, and these are sometimes boiled in soups, although it is more usually confined, in English cookery, to the mackerel sauce as here given.

FISH SAUCE.

413. INGREDIENTS.--1-1/2 oz. of cayenne, 2 tablespoonfuls of walnut ketchup, 2 tablespoonfuls of soy, a few shreds of garlic and shalot, 1 quart of vinegar.

_Mode_.--Put all the ingredients into a large bottle, and shake well every day for a fortnight. Keep it in small bottles well sealed, and in a few days it will be fit for use.

_Average cost_, for this quant.i.ty, 1s.

FORCEMEAT b.a.l.l.s FOR FISH SOUPS.

414. INGREDIENTS.--1 middling-sized lobster, 1/2 an anchovy, 1 head of boiled celery, the yolk of a hard-boiled egg; salt, cayenne, and mace to taste; 4 tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, 2 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Pick the meat from the sh.e.l.l of the lobster, and pound it, with the soft parts, in a mortar; add the celery, the yolk of the hard-boiled egg, seasoning, and bread crumbs. Continue pounding till the whole is nicely amalgamated. Warm the b.u.t.ter till it is in a liquid state; well whisk the eggs, and work these up with the pounded lobster-meat. Make into b.a.l.l.s of about an inch in diameter, and fry of a nice pale brown.

_Sufficient_, from 18 to 20 b.a.l.l.s for 1 tureen of soup.

FORCEMEAT FOR COLD SAVOURY PIES.

415. INGREDIENTS.--1 lb. of veal, 1 lb. of fat bacon; salt, cayenne, pepper, and pounded mace to taste; a very little nutmeg, the same of chopped lemon-peel, 1/2 teaspoonful of chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, 1 or 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Chop the veal and bacon together, and put them in a mortar with the other ingredients mentioned above. Pound well, and bind with 1 or 2 eggs which have been previously beaten and strained. Work the whole well together, and the forcemeat will be ready for use. If the pie is not to be eaten immediately, omit the herbs and parsley, as these would prevent it from keeping. Mushrooms or truffles may be added.

_Sufficient_ for 2 small pies.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MARJORAM.]

MARJORAM.--Although there are several species of marjoram, that which is known as the sweet or knotted marjoram, is the one usually preferred in cookery. It is a native of Portugal, and when its leaves are used as a seasoning herb, they have an agreeable aromatic flavour. The winter sweet marjoram used for the same purposes, is a native of Greece, and the pot-marjoram is another variety brought from Sicily. All of them are favourite ingredients in soups, stuffings, &c.

FORCEMEAT FOR PIKE, CARP, HADDOCK, AND VARIOUS KINDS OF FISH.

416. INGREDIENTS.--1 oz. of fresh b.u.t.ter, 1 oz. of suet, 1 oz. of fat bacon, 1 small teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, including parsley; a little onion, when liked, shredded very fine; salt, nutmeg, and cayenne to taste; 4 oz. of bread crumbs, 1 egg.

_Mode_.--Mix all the ingredients well together, carefully mincing them very finely; beat up the egg, moisten with it, and work the whole very smoothly together. Oysters or anchovies may be added to this forcemeat, and will be found a great improvement.

_Average cost_, 6d.

_Sufficient_ for a moderate-sized haddock or pike.

FORCEMEAT FOR VEAL, TURKEYS, FOWLS, HARE, &c.

417. INGREDIENTS.--2 oz. of ham or lean bacon, 1/4 lb. of suet, the rind of half a lemon, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley, 1 teaspoonful of minced sweet herbs; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste; 6 oz. of bread crumbs, 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Shred the ham or bacon, chop the suet, lemon-peel, and herbs, taking particular care that all be very finely minced; add a seasoning to taste, of salt, cayenne, and mace, and blend all thoroughly together with the bread crumbs, before wetting. Now beat and strain the eggs, work these up with the other ingredients, and the forcemeat will be ready for use. When it is made into b.a.l.l.s, fry of a nice brown, in boiling lard, or put them on a tin and bake for 1/2 hour in a moderate oven. As we have stated before, no one flavour should predominate greatly, and the forcemeat should be of sufficient body to cut with a knife, and yet not dry and heavy. For very delicate forcemeat, it is advisable to pound the ingredients together before binding with the egg; but for ordinary cooking, mincing very finely answers the purpose.

_Average cost_, 8d.

_Sufficient_ for a turkey, a moderate-sized fillet of veal, or a hare.

_Note_.--In forcemeat for HARE, the liver of the animal is sometimes added. Boil for 5 minutes, mince it very small, and mix it with the other ingredients. If it should be in an unsound state, it must be on no account made use of.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BASIL.]

SWEET HERBS.--Those most usually employed for purposes of cooking, such as the flavouring of soups, sauces, forcemeats, &c., are thyme, sage, mint, marjoram, savory, and basil. Other sweet herbs are cultivated for purposes of medicine and perfumery: they are most grateful both to the organs of taste and smelling; and to the aroma derived from them is due, in a great measure, the sweet and exhilarating fragrance of our "flowery meads." In town, sweet herbs have to be procured at the greengrocers' or herbalists', whilst, in the country, the garden should furnish all that are wanted, the cook taking great care to have some dried in the autumn for her use throughout the winter months.

FORCEMEAT FOR BAKED PIKE.

418. INGREDIENTS.--3 oz. of bread crumbs, 1 teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, 8 oysters, 2 anchovies (these may be dispensed with), 2 oz. of suet; salt, pepper, and pounded mace to taste; 6 tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, the yolks of 2 eggs.

_Mode_.--Beard and mince the oysters, prepare and mix the other ingredients by recipe No. 416, and blend the whole thoroughly together.

Moisten with the cream and eggs, put all into a stewpan, and stir it over the fire till it thickens, when put it into the fish, which should have previously been cut open, and sew it up.

_Time_.--4 or 6 minutes to thicken.

_Average cost_, 10d.

_Sufficient_ for a moderate-sized pike.

FRENCH FORCEMEAT.